


Fallen Child

by WinterWylburland



Category: Elfquest
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-16 23:07:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29583513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterWylburland/pseuds/WinterWylburland
Summary: If this actually gets traction I might cry, this is just to test out AO3. Basically, my OC Equinox gets stuck in the Elfquest universe and he doesn't want to leave.
Relationships: Clearbrook/Treestump (Elfquest), Cutter & Leetah (Elfquest), Dart/Mender (Elfquest), Dewshine/Scouter/Tyleet, Ember/Teir (Elfquest), Moonshade/Strongbow (Elfquest), Nightfall/Redlance (Elfquest), Rayek/Winnowill (Elfquest), Skywise/Timmain (Elfquest)
Kudos: 2





	Fallen Child

I was running. Why? I can’t remember, really. I happened to be walking down a clear woodland path, with very little chance of tripping over anything like roots or branches. So, I swung my rucksack back onto my bag and started running down the path, imagining that a mythical beast or monster chased me. A childish activity, but it gave me motivation to run. An oddly familiar tingling zipped through me and I briefly clocked that I no longer stood on solid dirt, but a sandy path.

Then I smacked into the brick wall.

Gradually, I gained my senses back one at a time. Feeling returned first, bringing the pain of my face and the tell-tale trickle of blood from my nose. In the short time my legs lost feeling, they had buckled and collapsed under me, and I awkwardly rolled over in order to lean against the wall. They were large flat bricks – I fancied they were made of sandstone or something equally soft. But what did I know? Just as I was about to get up, I _felt_ rather than _saw_ the arrow sailing towards me. My eyesight fluctuated, so I barely registered where it came from, only that it caught the fabric of my shirt at the shoulder and pinned me to the brick. Definitely soft rock.

Since seeing long distance remained a struggle for the moment, I entertained myself with admiring the arrow. It had been fired at quite a close range, for it was firmly wedged into the wall. After three attempts, I managed to pull the arrow free and took the time to inspect it. Handmade shaft carved out of wood – perhaps smoothed out branches – and real bird feathers. Long and thin, white with black tips.

Around this time, I began to hear voices, and my long-distance eyesight came back to present me with a literally comical sight. Between 10 and 20 elves gathered around me, the closer ones lightly tanned and very tense, all of them with some form of weapon drawn, and the ones further away were tanned darker and looked scared but interested. My mind ran through all of history that I knew of, trying to match something to a time period. When nothing came up immediately, I wondered if He had decided to send me somewhere that I knew nothing about. But then I saw one of the archers, dressed in thin brown leathers that resembled leopard skins, his face both angry and frightened, and everything clicked into place. That was Strongbow, one of the Wolfriders from the series, “Elfquest”. It explained why I didn’t recognise this time period, not the elves themselves – having spent so long looking at the comic books and drawings and art, it thrilled me to see them in real life, until I remembered Wolfriders had a strong distrust and hatred for humans. And I’m still somewhat human.

The chief of the elves, Cutter, stepped forward. He looked very intimidating from where I sat on the floor, and so should any leader who confronts an enemy in his territory, but I knew he was just as scared as I was. He said something, but the words were garbled nonsense. Dammit. I knew that He liked to adjust the settings sometimes, yet if I couldn’t even understand anyone, it was going to be a long, _long_ experience. Growling, Cutter repeated himself, but it ended up being just as fruitless as the first time.

“I’m sorry,” I interrupted as he tried for the third time, “but I have _absolutely_ NO idea what you’re trying to say to me.” _That_ he understood, as did many of his tribe, as everyone looked at each other with surprise and unease.

“You…you can understand me?” Cutter asked slowly, and I could see himself willing it to be a lie. I had a bad feeling about where this could go.

“Yes, I can understand you.” I remained very aware of their movements, observing every little shuffle and glance, hoping that none of them would attack without prompting. From what I could tell, we were in the Sun Village and I had probably arrived just before Cutter set off on his quest to find other elves, based on how young most of them looked.

Before either of us could say anything more, I heard the rattle of beads, and the soft padding of footsteps. Savah stepped into view, as calm and relaxed as I imagined her to be. “Equinox?” she asked, her voice rich and dark, bringing images of soft velvet.

“Hi?” I said timidly, suddenly aware I still sat on the hot and sandy floor, and I looked very tatty compared to her powerful beauty.

“Welcome. I am Savah; I’ve been expecting you. Your guide forewarned me of your arrival.” She paused to allow me to comprehend this.

“Oh…wow. Cool. I’ve never been, um, expected before,” I stumbled through my sentence, still nervous of all the arrows and swords pointed at me. The Wolfriders in question seemed to remember this at the same time, and most of them lowered their weapons when they realised that if Savah trusted me, they could trust me. Or at least not have a weapon constantly pointed at me. Strongbow kept his arrow notched, and Skywise kept a firm grip on his sword.

“Come, there is much to be discussed,” Savah gently commanded, leading the way back to her hut. I stood and brushed myself down before hurrying after her. Standing up put the height of everyone into perspective: Savah herself was about the same height as me, but the Wolfriders were mostly level with my thighs, and the Sun Folk were no taller than my waist.

Inside Savah’s hut was cool, the heat of the desert forgotten inside the hazy, dream-like steam that lightly sprinkled the room. He stood beside Savah’s chair. This was new; once I transitioned, He rarely interfered or showed face unless I was in extreme danger. I'll give you a brief description of my job: I get sent back and forth in time to observe certain events of human history. Why? I can't remember. He recruited me when I was very young, so my life hasn't exactly been stable. I get very little choice in when I arrive (or when I leave), as that is down to Him. Sometimes I stay for a few days, sometimes for years and years. Or sometimes I get killed, and he sends me back to my own time with little more than a pat on the head for my efforts. However, I've never been sent to a fictional time. Somehow, even He looked more at home here than I did, having shifted his appearance to look more like a High One. Of course, the Wolfriders knew he wasn’t a High One, but seeing him made them quiet. This was more serious than a human appearing in the heart of Sorrow’s End. Savah returned to her chair, then gestured for me and Cutter to come forward.

“Cutter,” He began, authoritatively, “you made the decision this morning to go on a Quest, to find other elves and to learn of the fate of the High Ones. Is this true?”

Cutter appeared to resent answering to Him, but he did so when Savah nodded encouragingly. “Yes, it’s true. I planned to leave tonight, when the air is cool and easy to travel in,” he replied.

He nodded as if he already knew this. He probably did. “I have sent you my apprentice, Equinox, to accompany you on your Quest. The skills he possesses will help you in the times to come.” It took me a moment to remember what skills he was talking about – on special occasions or very tricky trips forward in time, He decided to grant me with magic to defend myself against dangers that my 21st century human body had not yet adapted for, giving me access to every type of combat magic I could think of. Unlimited, he said, but there were some things I dare not attempt.

What magic would I need to use to help Cutter? I couldn’t help wondering.

At His announcement, there was an outcry from the gathered elves. It terrified me to see how hated I was by people who never knew me, making me thankful that I lived a relatively protected life at home on Earth. I was aware that Cutter said nothing, just stared at me, yet I couldn’t handle staring back at him, so I looked down at Strongbow’s arrow in my hand.

“Enough.” Savah barely raised her voice. She didn’t even sound annoyed, just mildly amused. But everyone in the hut fell silent. “Cutter, do you accept?”

This was the moment, I thought. Does he trust me enough? I looked at him this time, and his sharp blue eyes searched me. Like a wolf assessing his prey. Never had I felt so inferior to someone so much smaller than me – the seconds seemed to stretch out.

“How do I know I can trust you?” he finally asked me.

My answer came with surprising ease. “I give you my word. Make me promise to anything, and I’ll keep to it, no matter how difficult. On my life.” Truthful, but a challenge. I wanted to know what he would make me promise.

“Do you promise to serve and protect, as is your duty to do so?”

“I promise.”

“Do you promise to act as one of our tribe, to fight for their honour and in their name?”

“I promise.”

“And if they should be harmed, do you promise to avenge them?”

“With everything within my power.”

“Do you promise to obey me when I ask you to do something, no matter how much you disagree?”

“I promise, unless I believe it is for the benefit of your future.” Some mutterings, but Cutter accepted my promise.

He regarded me. Carefully. “…If the need arises, would you die for the tribe?” This was _my_ challenge, now. How far would I go for _them_?

I didn’t even hesitate. “Yes.”

“Swear to it.”

“I swear, if it is for the good of the tribe, I promise to die for them. For you.” He was silent for a long moment, and I could hear my heart beating in my ears. I glanced at Savah, then Him, and found them both with the same unnerving smile on their face.

“Then you may accompany me on my Quest,” Cutter said firmly. The mutterings increased, but they somehow seemed a little bit more positive.

“You must prepare to leave,” said Savah, drawing the attention away from the fading Him. I hoped I wouldn’t see him again until the end. “Night draws swiftly closer, and you must not waste any time.”


End file.
